The Effect of strategies-based instruction on speaking skills of high school students

Effective strategies used to overcome encountered difficulties in secondlanguage learners? (SLLs) speaking skills are of crucial importance. Hence, SLLs mightutilize the strategies on how to cope with such communication difficulties. This studyaims to find out the impact of strategy training in the use of strategies for speaking inEnglish as a second language (ESL) in the context of 9th grade ESL learners attendingan Anatolian High school and to investigate the second language learners? awareness ofthe speaking strategies and their frequent choice of strategies. In addition, theperspectives of the participants in the use of strategy training for speaking skill isexamined in this study.After addressing the issues of terminology and definitions, the theoreticalunderpinnings of the Language Learning Strategy concept are concentrated on. Afterclarifying these issues, through related literature it focuses on speaking strategies(Communication strategies) and strategy training for developing speaking skill. Thisresearch uses Vygotsky?s sociocultural theory (1962, 1978) to explore the effects ofstrategy training in the use of speaking strategies on learners? oral production.The study examines two groups of ESL learners during two semester period. TheExperimental group members received strategy training in the use of strategies forspeaking, whereas the Control group members did not receive any treatment.The results were measured using four different instruments: Pre-Post-speakingstrategy questionnaires, Pre- Post-speaking tests, Language learning diary, andstructured interview. The data obtained from the Pre-and Post- speaking strategyquestionnaires and Pre-Post- speaking tests were analysed by using descriptive andinferential statistics. The Pre-and Post-speaking strategy questionnaires were analysedthrough chi-square statistics. The Pre- and Post-speaking tests were analysed throughWilcoxon Signed Rank test and Mann-Whitney U-test. The results of the data showedsignificant differences in strategy use of the Experimental group. Research findingsfrom both the quantitative and qualitative data shed light on the efficacy of traininglearners in the use of speaking strategies and raising their awareness through strategytraining.Keywords: Language Learning Strategies, speaking strategies, strategies-basedinstruction for speaking, learners? awareness of speaking strategies.